New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-20
RIGHT EXPRESSION AND cmAnAcIIE.

should like to say one word upon the pract &c oi
comuo-iton | have suffered, 10y the chance OF liic-
very mucl from the practice OF competition. IL has
been my lot, suppOS', 10 fead nor" UNI ubl-hcl
works Than any one else an this room, and, hope,
in this city, There il an idea ana venture ID think
~ mistaken idea. that you cannot have taste iof
literature unless You are yourself all author Vcht-
IRE to entirely dcmur 10 that proposition. and
venture with al respect 10 those who teachers oi
Literature, to dcmur 10 the excellence ma utility OF
the practice al OycT-much essay Writing and compo
eition have very little faith IN rules Of style, but
have un unboundcd faith III the virtue O cpltivatng
direct and precise explosion IL II not every bod
who can the mighty rhythm oi the greatest
masters OF human speech; but every one can make
Tca.ODab y sure That nc knows wIat he means and
whether he has found the right word. IL has been
said million timc- that the foundation OF right cN-
preston In speech or whiting Is sincerity. IL is ~
true 1t has ever BEEN aud it not merely the
authors oi books who should study night expression.
II il part of charac err As somebody has said by
learning to speak with precision YOU learn 10 think
w.h correctness and firm and vigorous spc, ch lies
through the cultivation OF high and noble sympatnca
1 think. as tar my observation has gone, that men
Will do better al reaching preCs by tudying
fully with an open mind and viglant ego the
great models of writing Than by excessive practice Of
writing their own account. The probabilities arc
tina; sc are now coming to -" epoch, as II seems 20
me. OF a queter syie. There have been one OF them
] happy 10 think, still suryiyes-n generation
three great giants OF prose writing There was first
OF all, Carlyle there Macluay, ana there IN Mr.
Russin Those are al giants aud they have
the rights OF giants. Eut ] do not believe
that greater misfortune can beial the student. VINO
attend classes here. Tor example. than that they
should strive 10 write like these three men. think
il is the worst thing that can bcia them Tor they can
never attain to H. Few can bend the bow OF shcs
We are now i'll progress TO queter sty ; aud am
sorry tor it, because truth is quiet Millions phrase
always fingers III mind rs enc oil mperishabc beauty
where he regrets that he ia drawn by know not what
from bcholdiug the bright couLtcnance of truth IN
the quiet and btill air OF delightful studies think
that truth in all its order and walks that quiet moder
alton ana judgment are mole than the flash and the
glitter even OF the greatest genius hope that your
professors of rhetoric will teach YOU to cultivate 4
language IN which truth can be tOld-an eloauence
without trick, without afectalIon, without manner
isms, and without any OF that excessive ambition
winch overcaps itself much in prose writing IA il
does in other walks. have made it clear that we con-
ceive the end OF education ITS literary side 10 b. 10
make and not cyclopTdia, to ma Ike n citizen
not book Of elegant extracts. Literature ,oes
books and authors with finding OF the key OF rhythm
with the varying measure OF the siunzn or tho
chang from the involved ana periods oi the
seventeenth century down the saccato the nine
tcenth century, all the rest of the techncaIt,cs of
schoarsbip DO not think coniemn those These
are good things 10 know, but they not ends in
themselves. The intelligent man, says Plato will
prize those studies which result in his soul pctti,g
soberncss, righteousness aud wisdom, and will ess
value the others Literature In one OF the instrument
and most powerful Instruments Tor forming character
for giving men and women armed with reason
braced by knowledge, clothed with steadinstness and
courage and inspired by that public spirit and virtue
OF which II has been well said that thew are the
brightest ornaments OF the mind OF man. Bacon is
right he generally is, when he bids read not TO
contradict aud refute, nor 10 believe and take tot
granted nor TO find talk and discourse, but To weigh
and TO consider. And IN these times and 4,
the times before us, that promise or threaten
deep political, economical, and social contro-
ycrsy. what We need TO do Ia 10 induce
our people to weigh and consider. We want them 10
cultivate energy without mpatcnce, activity without
restessness, and infexibility without ill-humor